Right from the start, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert knew he had a talent in Goal Oriented. He is hoping that the son of Not This Time puts it all together in Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby.
“He is getting better,” Baffert said. “He’s a big, beautiful horse.”
Goal Oriented is owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert Masterson, Tom Ryan, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan. He was purchased for $425,000 at the 2023 Keeneland September yearling sale.
Click here for Parx entries and results.
After breaking his maiden by 3 1/4 lengths going six furlongs at Santa Anita Park, Goal Oriented hit the road and has stayed there for his last three starts. He won a first-level allowance on the Kentucky Derby undercard by three-quarters of a length at 1 1/16 miles.
Baffert was so high on the colt that he tried him next in the Preakness Stakes in start no. 3. He finished fourth after getting bumped by eventual winner Journalism in upper stretch at Pimlico.
After heading back to Baffert’s base in California, it was another away game for Goal Oriented, this time a trip to the Jersey Shore and the Haskell Stakes (G1) at Monmouth Park. This time, he battled with Pennsylvania Derby rival Gosger in the stretch, but both were passed by Journalism.
Goal Oriented settled for third, beaten a neck by Gosger, who was a half-length behind Journalism.
After watching Goal Oriented work through the summer in California, Baffert decided to skip the Grade 1 Travers going 1 1/4 miles at Saratoga and wait for the 1 1/8-mile Pennsylvania Derby.
“I think we will see it,” Baffert said, referring to a big effort Saturday. “He is going to have to improve. They are all improving.”
Goal Oriented will be ridden for the first time by five-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. Flavien Prat, who has ridden Goal Oriented in his last three starts, is named to ride in all 11 races Saturday at Aqueduct.
